Academic and Professional Speaking Skills

Credits
6
Types
  • GIA: Elective
  • GRAU: Elective
Requirements
This subject has not requirements , but it has got previous capacities
Department
THATC
This course aims to help students to develop their speaking skills to communicate orally in English in academic and professional settings at B2 level of the Common European Framework (CEF). Taking into account the international context in which we are, the course will provide resources to improve students' listening and speaking skills for successful participation in activities related to their university studies and the professional field. Emphasis is placed on strategies to help students become more effective listeners and to develop their fluency and accuracy in English as they interact orally in different situations

Teachers

Person in charge

Others

Weekly hours

Theory
2
Problems
2
Laboratory
0
Guided learning
0.4
Autonomous learning
5.6

Competences

Transversal Competences

Third language

  • G3 [Avaluable] - To know the English language in a correct oral and written level, and accordingly to the needs of the graduates in Informatics Engineering. Capacity to work in a multidisciplinary group and in a multi-language environment and to communicate, orally and in a written way, knowledge, procedures, results and ideas related to the technical informatics engineer profession.
    • G3.3 - To conduct an oral presentation in English and answer questions from the audience. To work effectively in an international context, communicating orally in English with people of different nationalities.

    • Objectives

    1. To understand and apply the principles of academic and professional communication in engineering
      Related competences: G3.3,
    2. To recognize oral genres in English in academic and professional contexts
      Related competences: G3.3,
    3. To recognize the importance of pronunciation in professional and academic communication
      Related competences: G3.3,
    4. To identify basic segmental and suprasegmental aspects of English phonetics in order to improve pronunciation skills
      Related competences: G3.3,
    5. To develop active-listening skills in English to improve listening comprehension
      Related competences: G3.3,
    6. To understand and interpret information from oral sources and to use information efficiently
      Related competences: G3.3,
    7. To develop speaking fluency and to use the correct kind of language for different communicative functions in English
      Related competences: G3.3,
    8. To exchange technical information orally and to discuss topics related to computer science appropriately
      Related competences: G3.3,
    9. To participate in academic and professional situations effectively using the correct kind of language and level of formality: a seminar, a job-seeking interview
      Related competences: G3.3,
    10. To plan an oral presentation for academic or professional purposes, using a problem-solving approach
      Related competences: G3.3,
    11. To deliver an oral presentation, using appropriate language, signposting and body language
      Related competences: G3.3,
    12. Evaluating an oral presentation according to planning and delivery criteria, making comments and suggestions for improvement
      Related competences: G3.3,

    Contents

    1. Fundamentals of academic and professional communication in engineering
      Problem-solving and genre. Academic and professional oral genres. Communicative function and strategy
    2. Guidelines for effective pronunciation
      The importance of pronunciation for intelligibility. English phonetics: basic aspects about the English sound system, stress and intonation. Strategies for dictionary use and for improving pronunciation
    3. Strategies for effective listening comprehension and speaking practice in computer science
      Techniques for active listening. Understanding lectures: semantic markers and signposting. Note-taking practice. Listening and speaking practice: spoken academic English in computer science
    4. Interaction in communicative activities: language functions and usage
      Levels of formality. Communicative function and language usage to participate in academic and professional activities effectively: telephoning, giving technical explanations and instructions, discussing and negotiating
    5. Speech organization and genre: skills to participate in academic situations
      International seminars: academic discussion. Oral presentations: the process of designing an oral presentation (planning, delivery and evaluation). Strategies and techniques for effective presentation. Visuals, signposting and body language
    6. Speech organization and genre: skills to participate in professional communicative situations
      Job-seeking skills: a CV and a job interview. Strategies for successful interaction

    Activities

    Activity Evaluation act


    Understanding the principles of technical communication

    Becoming familiar with problem-solving approaches for communicative purposes and genre. Analyzing examples of oral genres in academic and professional contexts and the general communicative strategy used
    Objectives: 1 2
    Contents:
    Theory
    2h
    Problems
    2h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    6h

    Recognizing the importance of pronunciation for oral interaction in English

    Identifying features of English pronunciation in contrast to Spanish and Catalan pronunciation
    Objectives: 3 4
    Contents:
    Theory
    2h
    Problems
    2h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    4h

    Practice in recognizing and pronouncing the sounds of English and some features of English stress and intonation

    Recognizing basic phonetic transcription. Becoming familiar with word stress and sentence stress. Recognizing tones
    Objectives: 3 4
    Contents:
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    2h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    6h

    Developing active-listening skills to improve listening comprehension

    Listening for specific information. Understanding the general idea. Listening for discourse markers (signposting) and keywords. Taking notes
    Objectives: 3 5 6
    Theory
    4h
    Problems
    4h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    8h

    Practice in gathering and exchanging technical information orally

    Selecting information from oral sources and using the information effectively to discuss a topic related to computer science
    Objectives: 4 5 6
    Contents:
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    3h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    8h

    Mid-term test


    Objectives: 1 2 3 4 5 6
    Week: 8
    Theory
    0h
    Problems
    0h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    0h

    Interacting in oral communicative activities effectively

    Becoming aware of levels of formality. Adapting English usage to level of formality. Using functions of language appropriately for telephoning, giving technical explanations and instructions, discussing and negotiating
    Objectives: 6 7 8
    Contents:
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    3h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    2h
    Autonomous learning
    8h

    Participating in an international seminar and practicing the appropriate interaction

    Discussing lectures and readings. Participating in academic discussion: supporting views, presenting ideas orally
    Objectives: 6 7 8 9
    Contents:
    Theory
    2h
    Problems
    2h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    6h

    Preparing an oral presentation for academic or professional purposes

    Applying a problem-solving procedure: planning, delivery and evaluation. Devising strategy at the planning stage (informing / persuading). Selecting information and structuring the presentation
    Objectives: 7 8 10
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    3h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    2h
    Autonomous learning
    8h

    Delivering an oral presentation and evaluating it

    Preparing the speech. Designing visuals. Choosing the correct kind of language. Considering signposting. Using body language and gesture. Applying evaluation criteria for oral presentations. Self-evaluation and peer evaluation
    Objectives: 7 10 11
    Contents:
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    3h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    8h

    Participating in a job-seeking interview using the appropriate strategy

    Writing a CV for a job application. Participating in a job interview. Anticipating questions and preparing explanations according to protocol, using the right kind of language and level of formality
    Objectives: 7 9
    Contents:
    Theory
    3h
    Problems
    2h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    2h
    Autonomous learning
    7h

    Final test


    Objectives: 2 4 5 6 7 9 10
    Week: 15 (Outside class hours)
    Theory
    0h
    Problems
    0h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    0h

    Delivering and evaluating an oral presentation

    Students deliver their oral presentations in class and they evaluate their partners
    Objectives: 10 11 12
    Week: 14
    Theory
    0h
    Problems
    0h
    Laboratory
    0h
    Guided learning
    0h
    Autonomous learning
    0h

    Teaching methodology

    Class session combine content presentation by teacher, extensive practice and students' participation. Students' participation and involvement are critical for the development of course activities
    The work on the course contents is based on the development of tasks.
    The activities are based on problem-solving tasks with practical exercises and analysis of samples

    Evaluation methodology

    Course assessment is based on continuous assessment tasks (course assignments and class participation) and written tests with the following percentages:

    -Mid-term test: 25%
    -Class participation. Students are expected to complete activities and tasks and bring their answers to class for discussion. They are also expected to work in collaboration with others. 10%
    -Oral presentation: 20%
    -Speaking activity: 20%
    -Final test: 25%

    -Students need to complete all the continuous assessment tasks in order to cover all the contents of the course and successfully perform in the exams.
    -The average mark resulting from the exams must be a minimum of 3.5 in order to pass the subject. If the exam average is under 3.5, continuous assessment tasks will not be taken into account and the final grade will be the weighted average of the exam marks.
    -Students will not get a participation mark if they do not attend a minimum of 50% of the course sessions.

    Bibliography

    Basic

    • Course workbook: academic and professional speaking skills - Secció d'Anglès (UPC), Cpet, 2012.

    Complementary

    Previous capacities

    In order to carry out academic and professional activities in English, students are recommended to have acquired B1 level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEF) or higher.